Vacuum Planter Exhaust Filtration System

ABSTRACT

A vacuum planter exhaust filtration system for preventing seed treatment particles used in seed planting from entering the atmosphere. The vacuum planter exhaust filtration system generally includes an air filter fluidly positioned between the fan and the planting units of the vacuum planter. The air filter removes the particulate material prior to being exhausted into the surrounding environment by the fan. The air filter utilizes cyclonic separation to separate the particulate material from the contaminated air from the planting units. A particle container collects the removed particulate material and allows for environmentally friendly disposal of the particulate material.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable to this application.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to vacuum planters and morespecifically it relates to a vacuum planter exhaust filtration systemfor preventing seed treatment particles used in seed planting fromentering the atmosphere.

2. Description of the Related Art

Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should inno way be considered as an admission that such related art is widelyknown or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

Vacuum planters are agricultural implements that are used to plant aseed crop in a field. Vacuum planters are desirable over air seeders andconventional planters because they provide for seed singulationresulting in precise placement of individual seeds with even spacingwithin a field. A vacuum planter operates the opposite of an air seederbecause a vacuum pulls seeds to rotating seed plates that haveindividual vacuum holes that retain the individual seeds until thevacuum is removed from the individual vacuum hole thereby releasing thecorresponding seed into a seed tube.

A conventional vacuum planter utilizes a fan to create a vacuum utilizedto retain the individual seeds on a planting disc in a meter housing(a.k.a. vacuum housing) in a planting unit until being released into afurrow. Some vacuum planters utilize a central hopper that distributesthe seed to the individual planting units via pressurized air and someseeders have individual seed hoppers for each of the planting units.Regardless of the type of vacuum planter utilized, the fan has anexhaust port to release the air drawn into the fan from the plantingunits that is utilized to retain the seed on the planting disc.

Most seed utilized for vacuum planters is treated with a seed treatmentsuch as but not limited to talc, seed coating, insecticides, herbicides,antimicrobial treatment, fungicides, fertilizer, growth enhancers, seedcoloring and other chemicals. Unfortunately, the air drawn in from theplanting units by the fan of a vacuum planter includes particulatematerial comprised of seed treatment removed from the seed duringplanting. The particulate material drawn into the fan is then exhaustedexternally of the vacuum planter via the exhaust port of the fan and isfree to contaminate the surrounding environment.

European countries have recently linked commonly utilized seed treatmentinsecticides (e.g. clothianidin, imidacloprid) to harming bees resultingin dramatic drops in bee counts and possibly to colony collapsedisorder. It is believed that talc combined with insecticides are blowninto the environment by the fan of the vacuum planter where it is mixedwith the pollen resulting in exposure to bees feeding on the pollen inthe flowers. In addition, the particulate material dispersed into theenvironment may contaminate standing water near the planting area.Finally, the particulate material being dispersed into the air by thevacuum planter is not desirable to be touched or inhaled by humans.

Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a needfor a new and improved vacuum planter exhaust filtration system forpreventing seed treatment particles used in seed planting from enteringthe atmosphere.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to a vacuum planter which includes anair filter fluidly positioned between the fan and the planting units ofthe vacuum planter. The air filter removes the particulate materialprior to being exhausted into the surrounding environment by the fan.The air filter utilizes cyclonic separation to separate the particulatematerial from the contaminated air from the planting units. A particlecontainer collects the removed particulate material and allows forenvironmentally friendly disposal of the particulate material.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the features ofthe invention in order that the detailed description thereof may bebetter understood, and in order that the present contribution to the artmay be better appreciated. There are additional features of theinvention that will be described hereinafter and that will form thesubject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, beforeexplaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is tobe understood that the invention is not limited in its application tothe details of construction or to the arrangements of the components setforth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. Theinvention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced andcarried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that thephraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of thedescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the presentinvention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood when considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which like reference characters designate the same orsimilar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the communications between thecontrol unit and components of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the air filter fluidly connectedbetween the fan and the vacuum planter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A. Overview.

Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar referencecharacters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1through 3 illustrate a vacuum planter exhaust filtration system 10,which comprises an air filter fluidly positioned between the fan 20 andthe planting units 40 of the vacuum planter 14. The air filter removesthe particulate material prior to being exhausted into the surroundingenvironment by the fan 20. The air filter utilizes cyclonic separationto separate the particulate material from the contaminated air from theplanting units 40. A particle container 62 collects the removedparticulate material and allows for environmentally friendly disposal ofthe particulate material.

B. Vacuum Planter.

The vacuum planter 14 may be comprised of any planter that utilizes airpressure for planting a crop (e.g. corn, sunflowers, soybeans, etc.) ina plurality of rows. The vacuum planter 14 is typically pulled behind atractor to plant a field with a desired crop. U.S. Patent No. 6,626,120to Bogner et al. discloses an exemplary vacuum planter 14 suitable foruse within the present invention and is hereby incorporated by referenceherein.

The vacuum planter 14 includes a plurality of planting units 40 thatmeter the seed received from a central hopper into furrows. The seedwithin the central hopper is drawn by a vacuum to each of the plantingunits 40 via separate seed tubes which is commonly known in theindustry. Alternatively, each planting unit 40 may have an individualseed hopper 50 and also potentially a corresponding individual chemicalhopper 54 to apply fertilizer. Each of the planting units 40 meters theindividual seeds into each corresponding furrow created by utilizing ameter disc within a meter housing (a.k.a. vacuum housing). The meterdisc (a.k.a. a seed plate) includes a plurality of vacuum holes thatprovide a vacuum that retains one seed upon each hole, wherein the meterdisc rotates until the vacuum is removed from the hole thereby releasingthe seed into a seed tube which is well known with respect to vacuumplanters 14.

The vacuum planter 14 includes a fan 20 having an intake port 21 and anexhaust port 22. A particle sensor 24 is positioned within the exhaustport 22 of the vacuum planter 14 to determine the level of particulatematerial remaining in the exhausted air and is in communication with thecontrol unit 12 regarding the same to notify the operator of thetractor. The fan 20 is typically a centrifugal fan 20 but may becomprised of other types of fans commonly utilized for vacuum planters14. A conventional vacuum planter 14 utilizes the fan 20 to create avacuum that is utilized to draw seeds to the individual planting units40 and also retain the individual seeds on a planting disc (a.k.a. seeddisc, meter disc) in a meter housing (a.k.a. vacuum housing) in aplanting unit 40 until being released into a furrow. Regardless of thetype of vacuum planter 14 utilized, the fan 20 has an exhaust port 22 torelease the air drawn into the fan 20 from the planting units 40 that isutilized to retain the seed on the planting disc.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the vacuum planter 14 furtherpreferably includes a primary manifold 70 that is fluidly connected tothe intake port 21 of the fan 20 via a vacuum conduit 30 (e.g. pipe,flexible hose, etc.). The primary manifold 70 extends along the width ofthe vacuum planter 14 to provide vacuum pressure to each of theindividual planting units 40. Each of the individual planning units isfluidly connected to the primary manifold 70 via a conduit (e.g. pipe,flexible hose, etc.) as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Forlarger vacuum planters 14, two or more primary manifolds 70 may beutilized for corresponding segments of the vacuum planter 14 asillustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

C. Primary Air Filter.

The primary air filter 60 is fluidly connected to the fan 20 to filterthe particulate material (e.g. solid particles, dust, chemicalparticles, insecticide particles) from a return airflow from the vacuumplanter 14 to the fan 20 prior to being exhausted externally of the fan20. In particular, the primary air filter 60 removes various types ofparticulate material drawn into the primary manifold 70 by the vacuumpressure such as but not limited to talc, seed coating, insecticides,herbicides, antimicrobial treatment, fungicides, fertilizer, growthenhancers, seed coloring and other chemicals utilized in planting ofseed crops.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the primary air filter60 is fluidly positioned between the fan 20 and the planting units 40 ofthe vacuum planter 14. In particular, the primary air filter 60 isfluidly positioned between the primary manifold 70 and the intake port21 of the fan 20. The primary air filter 60 is fluidly positioned withinthe vacuum conduit 30 that fluidly connects the primary manifold 70 andthe fan 20 as further illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. As furthershown in FIG. 1, if two or more primary manifolds 70 are utilized, acorresponding number of primary air filters 60 are preferably utilizedbetween the same and the fan 20. Alternatively, one primary air filter60 may receive the vacuum air flow from two or more primary manifolds 70for cleaning The first segment 32 of the vacuum conduit 30 enters anupper portion of the primary air filter 60 and a second segment 34 ofthe vacuum conduit 30 exits the upper end of the primary air filter 60continuing to the fan 20 which draws the air through the primary airfilter 60.

The primary air filter 60 preferably includes a particle container 62that receives separated particulate material. The particle container 62may be attached to the lower end of the primary air filter 60 to receivethe particulate material that falls downwardly through a lower openingin the primary air filter 60. The particle container 62 may beperiodically removed for environmentally friend disposal of thecollected particulate material.

The primary air filter 60 preferably does not utilize a media (e.g.fibrous materials) to trap the particulate material. In particular, theprimary air filter 60 is preferably comprised of a cyclonic separatorthat separates the particulate material from the return airflow. U.S.Pat. No. 7,247,180 to Hill discloses an exemplary cyclonic separatorsuitable for use within the present invention and is hereby incorporatedby reference herein.

D. Secondary Filter.

A secondary filter 64 may be fluidly connected between the primary airfilter 60 and the fan 20 to remove any remaining particulate materialwithin the airflow that the primary air filter 60 did not remove asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The secondary filter 64 ispreferably comprised of a media (e.g. fibrous material, pleated paperfilter, foam, cotton). The secondary filter 64 may be cleaned and/orreplaced periodically as needed.

E. Vacuum Conduit.

The vacuum conduit 30 includes a first segment 32 fluidly connectedbetween the vacuum planter 14 and the primary air filter 60, and asecond segment 34 fluidly connected between the primary air filter 60and the fan 20 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings. Thevacuum conduit 30 may be comprised of any tubular structure capable oftransferring airflow under a vacuum pressure without collapsing (e.g.pipe, flexible hose).

F. Control Unit.

FIG. 2 illustrate the control unit 12 which may be comprised of anyelectronic device capable of receiving, storing and calculating data(e.g. computer). The control unit 12 is preferably positioned within thecab of the tractor and includes a conventional display to displayinformation relating to vacuum pressure, operation of the fan 20, stateof the control valves 52, activation of the alarm 38, display readingsfrom the particle sensor 24 and the like.

The control unit 12 is in communication with and receives data from theparticle sensor 24 to determine the level of particulate material withinthe exhaust airflow discharged from the exhaust port 22 of the fan 20.If the level of particulate material exceeds a predetermined level, analarm 38 (e.g. audible, visual, combination of audible and visual) isactivated within the tractor to notify the operator that thefunctionality of the present invention may be hampered (e.g. the primaryfilter is not operating properly). In addition, the control unit 12 isin communication with the vacuum gauge 36 which is fluidly connected tothe vacuum conduit 30 to measure the vacuum pressure within the vacuumconduit 30. If the vacuum pressure is greater than a predeterminedmaximum threshold or below a predetermined minimum threshold, the alarm38 is activated to notify the operator of a potentially undesirablestate for the present invention.

G. Control Valves.

The plurality of seed hoppers 50 and the plurality of chemical hoppers54 are fluidly connected to the primary manifold 70 by a conduit (e.g.pipe, flexible hose) as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Thecontrol valves 52 may be comprised of any valve capable of stopping thepassage of airflow in a pressurized environment (e.g. solenoid valves,etc.).

At least one control valve 52 is fluidly positioned between the hoppers50, 54 and the primary manifold 70 to open or close a vacuum flow to thehoppers 50, 54. If a central seed hopper 50 is utilized, the same fluidconnection to the central seed hopper 50 is utilized except that thevacuum pressure is preferably receive by fluid connection directly tothe vacuum conduit 30. FIG. 1 illustrates a plurality of control valves52 fluidly connected between each of the hoppers 50, 54 and the primarymanifold 70. The primary manifold 70 is preferably fluidly connected toupper portions of the hoppers 50, 54 to draw in air contaminated withparticulate material entering the air during the filling process.

The control valves 52 may be opened or closed by the control unit 12which is in communication with the control valves 52. The control valves52 are typically closed when utilizing the vacuum planter 14 forseeding. However, when the operator is filling the hoppers 50, 54 thecontrol valves 52 are preferably opened by the control unit 12 to drawthe particulate material that enters the air within the interior of thehoppers 50, 54 during the filling process thereby reducing the amount ofparticulate material that escapes into the surrounding environmentduring filling.

H. Operation of Preferred Embodiment.

In use, the vacuum planter 14 is filled with seed in the central seedhopper 50 or the individual seed hoppers 50 for each of the plantingunits 40. During the filling of the seed hopper 50 within seed, thecontrol valve 52 fluidly connected to the seed hopper 50 is opened withthe fan 20 operating to create a vacuum that draws the particulatematerial in the air within the seed hopper 50 to the primary air filter60 for removal before entering the surrounding atmosphere. When fillingthe chemical hopper 54, the control valve 52 fluidly connected to thechemical hopper 54 is opened with the fan 20 operating to create avacuum that draws the particulate material in the air within thechemical hopper 54 to the primary air filter 60 for removal beforeentering the surrounding atmosphere. After the seed hoppers 50 and thechemical hoppers 54 are filled and closed, the controls valves areclosed to ensure adequate vacuum pressure within the individual plantingunits 40. The vacuum pressure is a negative pressure created by theintake port 21 of the fan 20 that draws in air.

The vacuum planter 14 is utilized as a conventional vacuum planter 14 toplant seeds within the field. During the planting, particulate material(e.g. talc, insecticide) is removed from the seed as the seed isacquired, retained and released from the seed disc within the plantingunit 40. In particular, the vacuum holes in the seed disc receive theremoved particulate material from the seed which is then drawn into theprimary manifold 70. The particulate material is then drawn by thevacuum pressure through the first segment 32 of the vacuum conduit 30into the primary air filter 60 to remove a majority of the particulatematerial from the airflow. It is preferable that the primary air filter60 remove at least 95% of the particulate material within the airflow.The airflow then passes through a secondary filter 64 to remove amajority of the particulate material not removed by the primary airfilter 60. The cleaned air is then drawn into the intake port 21 of thefan 20 and then exhausted through the exhaust port 22 of the fan 20. Theparticulate sensor determines the level of particulate material andcommunicates the level to the control unit 12 for display to theoperator. The control unit 12 may also be in communication with a levelsensor within the particle container 62 of the primary air filter 60 toactivate the alarm 38 or provide a notification to the user that thelevel of particulate material accumulated within the particle container62 has exceeded a specified level and the particle container 62 needs tobe emptied. The particle container 62 may be removed with theparticulate material inside environmentally disposed of withoutcontaminating the surrounding environment.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materialssimilar to or equivalent to those described herein can be used in thepractice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods andmaterials are described above. All publications, patent applications,patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated byreference in their entirety to the extent allowed by applicable law andregulations. In case of conflict, the present specification, includingdefinitions, will control. The present invention may be embodied inother specific forms without departing from the spirit or essentialattributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the presentembodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive. Any headings utilized within the description are forconvenience only and have no legal or limiting effect.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A vacuum planter filtration system,comprising: a vacuum planter for planting a crop, wherein said vacuumplanter includes a fan having an intake port and an exhaust port, and aplurality of planting units fluidly connected to said intake port via avacuum conduit; and a primary air filter fluidly connected to said fanto filter particulate material from a return airflow prior to beingexhausted externally of said fan, wherein said return airflow flows fromsaid vacuum planter to said fan.
 2. The vacuum planter filtration systemof claim 1, wherein said primary air filter is fluidly positionedbetween said fan and said planting units of said vacuum planter
 3. Thevacuum planter filtration system of claim 2, wherein said vacuum conduitincludes a first segment fluidly connected between said vacuum planterand said primary air filter, and a second segment fluidly connectedbetween said primary air filter and said fan.
 4. The vacuum planterfiltration system of claim 1, wherein said primary air filter does notutilize a media to trap said particulate material.
 5. The vacuum planterfiltration system of claim 1, wherein said primary air filter separatessaid particulate material from said return airflow.
 6. The vacuumplanter filtration system of claim 1, wherein said primary air filter iscomprised of a cyclonic separator.
 7. The vacuum planter filtrationsystem of claim 1, wherein said primary air filter includes a particlecontainer that receives separated particulate material.
 8. The vacuumplanter filtration system of claim 1, wherein said particulate materialincludes insecticides.
 9. The vacuum planter filtration system of claim1, including a particle sensor that determines a level of particulatematerial within an exhaust airflow discharged from said exhaust port.10. The vacuum planter filtration system of claim 1, including asecondary filter fluidly connected between said primary air filter andsaid fan.
 11. A vacuum planter filtration system, comprising: a vacuumplanter for planting a crop, wherein said vacuum planter includes a fanhaving an intake port and an exhaust port, a primary manifold fluidlyconnected to said intake port via a vacuum conduit, and a plurality ofplanting units fluidly connected to said primary manifold; and a primaryair filter fluidly connected to said fan to filter particulate materialfrom a return airflow prior to being exhausted externally of said fan,wherein said return airflow flows from said vacuum planter to said fan;wherein said primary air filter is comprised of a cyclonic separatorthat separates said particulate material from said return airflow. 12.The vacuum planter filtration system of claim 11, wherein said primaryair filter is fluidly positioned between said fan and said plantingunits of said vacuum planter
 13. The vacuum planter filtration system ofclaim 12, wherein said vacuum conduit includes a first segment fluidlyconnected between said vacuum planter and said primary air filter, and asecond segment fluidly connected between said primary air filter andsaid fan.
 14. The vacuum planter filtration system of claim 11, whereinsaid primary air filter does not utilize a media to trap saidparticulate material.
 15. The vacuum planter filtration system of claim11, wherein said primary air filter includes a particle container thatreceives separated particulate material.
 16. The vacuum planterfiltration system of claim 11, wherein said particulate materialincludes insecticides.
 17. The vacuum planter filtration system of claim11, including a particle sensor that determines a level of particulatematerial within an exhaust airflow discharged from said exhaust port.18. The vacuum planter filtration system of claim 11, including asecondary filter fluidly connected between said primary air filter andsaid fan.
 19. The vacuum planter filtration system of claim 11,including a plurality of seed hoppers and/or a plurality of chemicalhoppers fluidly connected to said primary manifold.
 20. The vacuumplanter filtration system of claim 11, including a plurality of seedhoppers and/or a plurality of chemical hoppers fluidly connected to saidprimary manifold with at least one control valve fluidly positionedbetween said hoppers and said primary manifold to open or close a vacuumflow.